The first thing you notice about JJ Helle… Read Full Bio ↴By Kierstin Casella (2006)
The first thing you notice about JJ Heller is a wide grin that stretches across her face and welcomes you in as a friend, whether you’ve known her for years or are shaking her hand for the very first time. These days especially, the twenty-five year old west coast native has a lot to be happy about.
In March 2006, she independantly released her third record (scheduled for national release in November 2006), Only Love Remains, showcasing her pure, penetrating voice, and opening the door to a bold new range of songs. JJ, along with her husband Dave (who serves as guitarist, manager, and co-writer) recorded the distinctive album at Nashville’s Sputnik Sound with Grammy-winning producer Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay, Bebo Norman.)
“I found that JJ has an unadulterated approach to song writing. Her songs actually spoke to me, where a lot of Christian music is the same message with different words,” explains Dane. “[JJ and Dave] live their art, and I never felt like they were trying too hard to be something they weren't.”
In addition to JJ and Dave’s prominent talents, Only Love Remains features Bryan Sutton (Dixie Chicks, The Chieftains) on mandolin, guitar and banjo; David Henry (Over the Rhine) on cello; Ben Shive (Andrew Peterson) on piano; Andy Hubbard (Little Big Town, Fernando Ortega) on drums, Aaron Sands (Jars of Clay) on bass; with Jeremy Casella (singer/songwriter) and Andrew Osenga (Caedmon’s Call) on guitars/backing vocals.
Only Love Remains follows Heller’s 2005 EP, Collection of Thoughts, and her debut release, Songs That I Know (2004.)
JJ began her career nearly six years ago at San Jose Christian College where she dabbled in songwriting and performed at local coffeehouses. After graduating, JJ and Dave got married and relocated to Phoenix to pursue music full time. In August of 2006, they moved to Nashville, TN where they currently reside. The combination of Dave’s business sense and creative input, and JJ’s loose artistic style drives their success.
“We’re definitely two halves of a whole,” she explains. “I write the bulk of the lyrics and Dave is the editor and arranger, making the songs more effective. He also does everything on the business side, which is great because it frees me up to be creative.”
For Only Love Remains, the pair focused on a braver songwriting style, departing slightly from JJ’s prior introspective lyrics and exploring story-songs about the lives around them. Musically, they pulled influence from artists like Damien Rice and Over the Rhine, with a lyrical intricacy akin to Patty Griffin. The result is an exceptional collection of songs that is warm and engaging with a little bit of edge.
In writing material for the new release, JJ poured her every day observations into her songbook: stories she heard while traveling, and those nearer to her heart. “This album is all about redemption,” observes JJ. “ Looking back on the songs, there’s a lot of struggle written into them because that’s life. Everyone has different problems to face, but in the end, the outcome hinges on how you deal with those struggles-- if you allow them to destroy you or make you stronger.”
Perhaps it’s her insight and sensitivity that consistently draw a female audience to JJ’s music. She touches on issues of self-image and worry, questions of faith, and feelings of loneliness; her songs resonate with women and offer encouragement. But JJ’s music connects with people from all walks of life. Whether performing in a quaint coffeehouse, at a weekend retreat, or a Sunday morning church service for 1000 people, the Hellers aim to be themselves wherever they go. They maintain a balance of light-hearted humor and poignant dialogue with their listeners.
As an artist, JJ Heller is a mix of eclectic and down-to-earth: from her jeans and t-shirt style to the way she pushes her own boundaries. When it comes to her music, she never settles.
"Music has a way of speaking to my heart like nothing else can," JJ says. "It is my hope and prayer that my songs will somehow speak to my listeners and bring them hope, peace and inspiration."
I Dream of You
JJ Heller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What will you dream
Castles and kings
The story's been read
And you rest your head
Warm in your bed
My love, may you dream
'Til the dawn of the day bright and new
Wherever you go
I want you to know
When I dream
I dream of you
Fly over the sea
Float on the breeze
Careless and free
When your journey ends
Wake up and then
Dream it again
My love, may you dream
Of beautiful things
'Til the dawn of the day bright and new
Wherever you go
I want you to know
When I dream
I dream of gentle wind blowing in
Time seems to slow
Away we go
Moonlight fills up your room
Darling, you are my dream come true
The lyrics of JJ Heller's song "I Dream of You" are a touching message from a loving partner to their significant other. The song begins with the question of what the person will dream about when they fall asleep. The singer wishes for them to dream of beautiful things like castles and kings, and to rest comfortably in their bed. The chorus reveals the depth of the singer's devotion, as they explain that they dream of their partner regardless of where they are in the world. The singer wishes for their partner to be carefree and to enjoy their journey, knowing that they will always return to the warmth of their love.
The second verse continues with the wishes for the person to have beautiful dreams while they "fly over the sea" and float "on the breeze." The singer understands that the journey of life will have its ups and downs, but encourages their partner to keep dreaming and never stop. The final chorus speaks to the intimacy and devotion between the two, as the singer dreams of "gentle wind blowing in" and "moonlight filling up your room." The song is a beautiful reminder of the unbreakable bond between two people in love, and a reassurance that their love will always be there, even in their dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
When you fall asleep
As you drift off into slumber
What will you dream
What kind of imaginative thoughts will fill your mind
Castles and kings
A world of grandeur and royalty
The story's been read
Familiar tales from books have filled your head
And you rest your head
You lay down to sleep
Warm in your bed
Wrapped in the comfort of your covers
My love, may you dream
My dearest, I hope your dreams
Of beautiful things
Are filled with wondrous sights and sounds
'Til the dawn of the day bright and new
Until morning sun breaks over the horizon
Wherever you go
No matter where your path leads
I want you to know
It's important for you to understand
When I dream
During my own times of rest and slumber
I dream of you
It's you who fills my thoughts and heart
Fly over the sea
Glide above the waves of the ocean
Float on the breeze
Drift along effortlessly with the wind
Careless and free
Unburdened by the weight of worry or strife
When your journey ends
After your explorations have ceased
Wake up and then
Open your eyes and regain consciousness
Dream it again
Let yourself recapture those same moments of imagination
I dream of gentle wind blowing in
My dreams feature soft breezes blowing through
Time seems to slow
The passing of time becomes less important
Away we go
Together we embark on an adventure
Moonlight fills up your room
The visible light of night casts shadows in your dwelling
Darling, you are my dream come true
You are my perfect vision of love and happiness
Contributed by Amelia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ShelleyBT35
"I Dream Of You"
When you fall asleep
What will you dream
Castles and Kings
The story's been read
And you rest your head
Warm in your bed
My love may dream
Of beautiful things
Till the dawn of the day
Bright and new
Wherever you go
I want you to know
When I dream
I dream of you
Fly over the sea
Float on the breeze
Careless and free
When your journey ends
Wake up and then
Dream it again
My love may dream
Of beautiful things
Till the dawn of the day
Bright and new
Wherever you go
I want you to know
When I dream
I dream of gentle wind
Blowing in
Time seems to slow
The way we go
Moonlight fills
Up your room
Darling you are
My dream come true
My love may dream
Of beautiful things
Till the dawn of the day
Bright and new
Wherever you go
I want you to know
When I dream
I dream of you... (you)
I dream of you... (you)
@jojodealiofilms1618
I use all your music for our home videos. My sister in-law passed away at 42 from cancer this year and she is in a lot of our videos and your beautiful music makes the videos more special. You are gifted.
@zarathushtra9564
No words... Heavenly Beauty....
@macandrews2006
Ok so after the last two years of surgeries and life altering decisions of choices to make and sometimes not knowing whether I'm going to make it through the day or not I decided that this August I want more than anything God willing to renew my vows this year with my husband (after 12 years I might ad). When I herd this song all I could imagine was me and my husband on the dance floor with our two amazing children dancing to this song. God has given me so much to fight for and I'm so thankful and even today when I don't have much to look forward to and feel awful I got to listen to a song like this and it gives me that ray of hope and even if tomorrow never comes I got to smile and cry and feel so alive just because of this song. My entire life has been a uphill battle but my kids were always my dream and I'm so blessed. I can't wait till the day I get to dance with my little (but not too little) munsters to this amazing song. I always want it to be apart of their life's because my life would mean nothing without them and my Amazing husband that gave them to me. Thanking god for every glimmer of hope he never ceases to amaze me. I don't know if you'll ever see this but THANK YOU!....
@derekward6185
It makes me clap 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Iiiiiiiiiiiii love 💕 it ❤ so ❤ much ❤.
@NessalinaButterfly
I dream of my future children every day. This song captures how I feel about them all. I dream of meeting them!
@har906
may the grace of JESUS CHRIST BE IN YOU AND WITH YOU ALWAYS! TODAY AND FOR EVER MORE! AMEN!
@HansonBrothershand
amen
@nathaliaolivera2199
JJ Heller, you're so blessed... Your voice is a gift of God! Thanks to share this love in your face for all of those people. This is God in you! God bless you!
@efrenbautista2684
I feel like God is singing this for me! I'm a teenager :-)
@dawnonanian9886
What a wonderful gift you have - an innate ability to lift the soul and touch the heart.